Root canal therapy has a reputation for making dental patients nervous and on edge, but the truth is that it doesn’t need to be that way. Root canal therapy is an important restorative treatment that can literally save a failing tooth. Keep reading to learn more from our Orland Park root canal dentists…
When Is A Root Canal Necessary?
The goal of root canal therapy is to get rid of the inner core of a fractured or diseased tooth. By clearing out a tooth’s dental pulp, including dental nerves and tooth roots, our team is able to save a tooth that would otherwise fall out or need to be pulled.
How Can I Know I Need One?
Your dental team will be able to tell you definitely whether you can benefit from root canal therapy. In the meantime, you want to keep your eyes open for signs of infection or damage. Talk to your dental team if you notice:
- New or developing tooth pain
- Jaw pain
- Hard-to-treat bad breath
- Receding or bleeding gum tissue
- Visible discoloration on dental enamel
What Is Treatment Like?
The first part of our treatment process is to assess your oral health and determine both the breadth and depth of dental damage you’re experiencing. Digital X-rays are an indispensable tool in pre-planning root canal therapy.
Once we’ve done our evaluation and pre-planning, our team begins the treatment process by:
- Clearing away damaged enamel and dentin
- Removing the tooth’s inner dental pulp, nerves, and roots
- Sterilizing the remaining healthy dentin and enamel
- Filling the tooth to stabilize it
- Repairing and rebuilding missing dental structures with custom restorations
If you are living with a severely damaged tooth, our Orland Park root canal dentists encourage you to reach out to your dental team for an assessment and further treatment. The sooner that you are able to receive care, the better your oral health prognosis.